Last updated: 22 June 2026
For most Australian tradies, Google Ads costs $500 to $2,000 a month in ad spend, plus a management fee if you use an agency. The bigger variable is your cost per click, which can be a few dollars for low-competition trades or $20 and up for emergency services in major cities. Here’s an honest breakdown of clicks, fees, and the budget you actually need to make it work.
Key takeaways
- Most tradies spend $500 to $2,000 a month on Google Ads, plus management if it’s outsourced.
- Cost per click varies widely by trade and area: a few dollars for some trades, $20 or more for emergency electrical or plumbing in metro areas.
- Management is usually a flat monthly fee or 10 to 25% of spend; avoid percentage models that charge you more just for spending more.
- Your ad spend should always be your money, paid straight to Google, not marked up by the agency.
- Ads give you leads from day one, but they stop the moment you stop paying, so pair them with SEO for leads that compound.
Google Ads is the fastest way for a tradie to turn on leads, and the easiest way to waste a budget if you go in blind. This guide covers what tradies actually spend, what drives your click costs, how management fees work (and the trap to avoid), and the budget you genuinely need by trade.
How much do tradies spend on Google Ads?
Most trade businesses run a monthly ad budget between $500 and $2,000, set by how competitive their trade is and how many leads they want. Lower-competition trades like painting can do well on the lower end. Higher-competition, higher-value trades like electrical and plumbing usually need more to compete.
| Trade | Typical monthly budget | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| Painter | $500 to $1,000 | Lower |
| Plumber / Electrician | $1,000 to $2,000 | Higher |
| Emergency services (metro) | $1,500+ | Highest |
Those are ad-spend figures, the money that goes to Google. Management is separate, and we’ll get to that.
What drives your cost per click?
Your cost per click is set by an auction, and four things push it up or down: how many other tradies are bidding, how urgent and high-value the search is, your city, and your account’s quality. “Emergency electrician near me” in metro Melbourne is expensive because it’s urgent, valuable, and contested. “Fence painting” in a regional town is cheap because few people bid on it.
A common mistake is bidding on broad terms like “electrician” and burning the budget on people searching for apprenticeships, jobs, or DIY. Tight, buyer-intent keywords and a solid negative-keyword list are what keep the cost per real lead down.
Management fees, and the percentage trap
If you hire someone to run your ads, expect to pay either a flat monthly fee or a percentage of your spend, usually 10 to 25%. The percentage model has a built-in problem: the agency earns more the more you spend, whether or not that spend works for you. A flat fee keeps everyone honest.
The other rule: your ad spend should be your money, billed straight to your own Google account, not bundled and marked up. If a provider won’t show you the raw spend, that’s a red flag.
What budget do you actually need?
Enough to generate sensible data and win a useful number of clicks. Below roughly $500 a month in a competitive trade, the budget runs out too fast to learn anything. The sweet spot for most tradies is $1,000 to $1,500 a month in spend, with tight keywords and good ad copy, then scaling once the cost per booked job is proven.
See how we structure trade campaigns on our Google Ads for tradies page, and our wider take on pricing in the Google Ads cost guide.
Google Ads vs SEO for tradies
Both, in the right order. Google Ads buys you leads from day one, but the moment you stop paying the leads stop, and every click costs you whether it converts or not. SEO takes a couple of months to build, then keeps sending enquiries for years at no per-click cost. Most tradies run ads for immediate work while SEO builds underneath, then taper the ad spend as organic takes over. We compare the two properly in SEO vs Google Ads for tradies. If SEO is the smarter long-term play for you, see our SEO for tradies service.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a tradie spend on Google Ads?
Most tradies spend $500 to $2,000 a month in ad spend, plus management if outsourced. Lower-competition trades like painting can work at the lower end; electrical, plumbing and emergency services usually need $1,000 or more to compete.
Why are some tradie keywords so expensive?
Cost per click is set by an auction. Urgent, high-value, heavily contested searches like “emergency electrician” in a big city can run $20 or more per click, while low-competition searches in regional areas can be just a few dollars.
Is Google Ads or SEO better for tradies?
Both, in order. Ads give you leads from day one but stop when you stop paying. SEO is slower to build but then produces leads for years with no per-click cost. Most tradies run ads while SEO builds, then lean on organic over time.
Do I pay the agency’s fee on top of ad spend?
Usually yes: ad spend goes to Google, and the agency charges a separate management fee, either flat or a percentage of spend. Your ad spend should be billed to your own account at cost, never marked up. If a provider hides the raw spend, treat it as a warning sign.
Related reading
- How Much Does SEO Cost for Tradies in Australia?
- SEO vs Google Ads for Tradies
- Is Airtasker Worth It for Tradies? The Real Numbers
Written by Luc Dossis, founder of Dossis Digital. We help Australian trade businesses own their lead flow instead of renting it.
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